


watch this get completely out of hand

by therjolras



Series: For My Friends [4]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, OT4, Short One Shot, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3949723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therjolras/pseuds/therjolras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calum's little girl really chose the cream of the crop to be friends with, as far as he's concerned.</p>
<p>(OR: They're all single parents and Calum's not sure he's getting a fair cut on this one)</p>
            </blockquote>





	watch this get completely out of hand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rocketshiptospace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocketshiptospace/gifts).



> reposted from tumblr, for this ask: 'our children are best friends' maybe for ot4??
> 
> really short and fluffy. on tumblr here: http://captainpeggys.tumblr.com/post/119053116906/our-children-are-best-friends-maybe-for-ot4

It’s not. It’s not that Calum hates these afternoons. They’re not particularly torturous, if a bit tiring. It’s just… sweet  _jesus,_ maybe if his fellow parents were a little less on the hot side this might be a bit easier. 

(It’s a long story. His Twosie somehow managed to track down the kids with the hottest [single] dads in school and befriended them, and suddenly she wouldn’t be friends with anyone else. And then she wanted  _playdates._  Not unreasonable, but…  _ugh._ )

“Picnic blanket!” Twosie insists, pushing past him out the passenger door. Calum hums in reply and slips his sunglasses on before making sure Twosie’s dress isn’t stuck in the door and striding around to the trunk. “Want to help me carry lunch, Twosie?”

She replies the affirmative. Calum opens the trunk and hands her the picnic blanket, folded small enough that it won’t give her too much trouble. Of course, within a moment it’s starting to come undone. Calum pretends he’s not paying attention as he pulls out the cooler and closes the trunk again. Let the girl feel powerful, he thinks. 

“Hey, Hood!”

Of course, it won’t do  _him_ much good. He turns around, trying not to drop the cooler, and finds himself face to face with Clifford. His hair’s still lilac, which is surprising. Usually it takes less than two weeks before he gets bored with whatever he’s wearing. 

(It’s an unfairly nice lilac. It makes his lips look all pretty and pink.) “Afternoon, Clifford,” he says. Michael grins. 

“Nice sunglasses,” he says. “You look like Australian John Lennon.”

Calum arches an eyebrow. “I don’t have a return compliment, sorry.”

“Ah, no pressure,” Michael says. “Hi, Mali.” He offers a high-five to Twosie, and she accepts. “Hi, Mikey,” she says. “Is Kari here?”

“She’s at the playground with Gold,” Michael says. “Benny isn’t here yet, though.”

“Oh, is Hemmings late again?” Calum says, making for the gate. “Because one of these days, I’m going to skin him.”

“Get in line,” Michael says. “Ashton’s already digging your grave, by the way.”

“What? I’m on time.”

“He’s experiencing the delusion that ‘half past eleven’ actually means ‘eleven twenty-five’.” 

“Oh, jesus,” Calum says. Michael shoots him a stern look. “Language.”

“Sorry, Twosie.”

“S’okay, dad.” Twosie jogs ahead of him, the picnic blanket unfolding over her shoulder. She’s going to be wearing it in the next thirty seconds, Calum can feel it. Michael says, “Twosie?”

“She’s named after my sister. Gets a little confusing at family events.”

“Is this a family event?”

Oh, this is definitely the  _wrong_ time for Ashton to interrupt. Him and his stupid curly hair and perfect smile and  _arms._  “Well, Mali seems to think so,” he replies. Ashton grins. “I’m sure Gold will be glad to hear. He already seems to think Benny’s his long-lost brother.” Michael grins. Calum looks away before he embarrasses himself and catches Twosie trying to board the playground with the picnic blanket around her shoulders. “Oi, kiddo!” He shouts. “That’s for your lunch!”

“Sorry, dad!”

Twosie trots back and pulls it off, holding it out to Calum. Naturally, because it’s a heavy piece and Calum’s a clumsy motherfucker, she drops it and Calum’s swipe sends it towards the dirt– only for Ashton to sweep it up. “I’ve got it!”

“So graceful,” Calum mutters, snatching it from Ashton. “You can go on, Twosie.” She beams at him and takes off again, met by Gold– curly-haired and scrawny– and shaggy-haired Kari at the entrance to the playground. At about the same time, a golden-haired thunderbolt shoots past Calum and nearly trips over his feet. “Watch where you’re going, Benny!” He shouts. He’s embarrassed to realize he’s perfectly in sync with Michael and Ashton in the admonishment.

“I’m not horribly late, am I?” Luke says, approaching the three of them. He leans over Ashton’s shoulder and stands on his tip-toes for a moment, met with a  _rub-it-in-why-don’t-you_ glare. Ashton, the shortest, replies “Yes, yes you are, and I’m very angry with you. Tell me you at least remembered the cake.”

Luke holds up a tote bag. “Like I could forget, with Benny reminding me every two seconds. Did anyone bring beer?”

At a look from Ashton, Michael sulkily replies, “No.”

“Damn. I was looking forward to it.”


End file.
